


What You Need Has Been Right Here

by lucdarling



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Gen, Government Experimentation, Telekinesis, Telepathy, X-Factor - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-15
Updated: 2014-01-15
Packaged: 2018-01-08 21:17:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1137495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucdarling/pseuds/lucdarling
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The X-Factor happens and life becomes more a headache than before for Liam.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What You Need Has Been Right Here

**Author's Note:**

> If you are, or are related to those listed above, please do not read this.

There is an academy for boys, select invitation only. It promises to turn your boys into men, to show them the world. The government is funding it of course, so there is only the matter of arriving at the facility.

(Anne Cox turns it down. She keeps Harry close to home.)

Geoff and Karen Payne take a drive on a Sunday morning. They get caught in traffic on the M1, but manage to arrive between the hours specified in the welcome packet. Liam gets a kiss and a hug goodbye, and follows the man in a three-piece suit inside the building. Liam's parents drive away, proud their son has been chosen.

Liam is there for a month.

Liam keeps to himself and tells everyone else it's due to the bullying growing up when he gets back from the facility. He hugs his mother less and ignores her worry that tickles that back of his mind. Liam throws himself into singing again, trying to remember how to smile in between nosebleeds and headaches. He tries out for X-Factor again and gets through. As soon as he gets the paper, he hugs his parents on camera and says a few words about how happy he is - then he goes to the loo and pukes violently. There are too many people at the audition, a cacophony in his head. Liam remembers how to breathe, tells himself it was delayed nerves and goes back out.

The competition progresses. If Liam wipes his nose a little more often than normal, he chalks it up to germs and sharing a house with so many unknown people. No one else seems to notice the blood.

He thinks he's about to be eliminated again and it turns out Simon wants to form a boy band. There's the curly-haired boy, Harry and the Irish kid, Niall. Zayn takes smoke breaks and Liam avoids him, worried just a little bit about his lungs. He thinks in colors though, spray paint on a wall, and Liam finds it fascinating. Louis, on the other hand, is almost too much and not enough at the same time. He is constantly touching the other lads, a blur of motion and sarcasm, but his mind is safe, a cool island in the constant sea of everyone else's chatter.

Liam usually manages to drown out the thoughts of those around him by concentrating on to-do lists and song lyrics. He takes refuge in Louis's mind when it gets to be too much, the fans screaming and the bright lights of the X-Factor stage. Sometimes Louis shoots him a look, something between a dare and incredulity. Liam blinks and the look is gone, replaced by Louis smirking devilishly and trying to coax Liam into a prank.

They don't win the X-Factor, but then there is a whirlwind of meetings and record executives and Simon Cowell - lots of Simon Cowell. One Direction is properly famous in the UK, which Liam finds exciting and rather insane. He repeats song lyrics to himself or leans against Niall during the endless talks. His mind is cluttered, like a vending machine with too much product but there's no pressure to make decisions or anything else when Liam accidentally slips inside. Niall gets a frown line between his brows when this happens and eventually Liam drags himself back to his own head of sky lights and high ceilings in a house that looks rather like his childhood home.

One Direction signs with Syco Music and suddenly there's a tour of their own to start planning after the X-Factor Live tour. The lads spend the time before the tour in the studio, goofing off and drinking only on the nights they don't have to go the next morning. Liam thinks this is what it's like when your dreams come true.

The feeling lasts all the way through the X-Factor tour and opening for Big Time Rush. They even get to travel to America, which is new and exciting and more than Liam even dreamed of.

It's when they're in the fifth week of their very own headline tour for "Up All Night" that Liam has a nightmare. They don't happen too often, and Liam is thankful for that.

Liam is back in the facility, white walls and glass windows, steel doors that slam shut to lock in thin cots and thinner blankets. The men in lab coats stream around him as he stands still, looking frantically for an exit. That's when Liam spots a familiar head of curly brown hair and his stomach sinks. He doesn't want anyone else to be here, this is his private hell.

"Harry!" Liam calls out, raising a hand. The scientists turn to look at him, an eerie motion and Liam holds his breath. They go back to their work, going through doors and in and out of rooms. Someone screams, faraway and it echoes in Liam's head.

"Hiya Liam." Harry greets him when he gets closer. "Do you reckon this is like a video game?"

"No." Liam snaps. "You're not staying, you can't, I don't want you to." He pushes Harry in front of him, dodging lab coats and suits, all toward the one door that has light shining underneath it.

They come across Niall on the way down the long hallway that only seems to stretch longer. "You should come with us," Liam orders. Niall grins, easy and loose.

"Not much to be had here anyhow. Everything's white." Niall complains and settles in to let Liam drag him down the hall. They step up the pace once Harry points out some of the lab coats are definitely following them.

Liam reaches the door and can't make himself go out, step across the threshold. Hands are reaching for him, grasping and holding wires and Liam knows where this leads. He doesn't want Harry or Niall to see this part.

"It's been fun," Liam grimaces. "Time to go home, lads." He shoves them out the door, into the light, and surrenders himself to the waiting hands.

They shave his head, first thing, as others strap him onto the table underneath bright fluorescent lights. Electrodes are attached and Liam almost doesn't fight it anymore. Then he remembers Harry and Niall being in the facility and struggles. The lights descend closer and a drill starts up with a whine that Liam can almost feel in his skull. There is pain and his mind explodes before everything goes black.

Liam wakes, still on the table. He feels groggy and a voice he recognizes chuckles. "Oh Liam, you are a mess." He turns his head - more like a flop - and there is Zayn, crouched in the corner of the sterile room with spraypaint cans. Half the wall is already a mural, the band name in bright blue letters and fireworks around it.

"What are you doing?" Liam's tongue feels thick in his mouth but he manages to get the words out, he thinks.

"Leaving some color behind, man. This place is the pits. Don't know how often you come here, but I can leave something behind." Zayn answers with a grin. That's when Liam notices his mouth isn't moving but he can still hear the words in his head. That's when Liam knows the facility succeeded. "You should wake up now, we should probably chat." Zayn sets the can down and helps Liam up from the table. They stagger together out the double doors and down the hallway; it seems a lot shorter with Zayn by his side.

Liam wakes up in his bunk. The curtain is drawn and the bus is quiet, only the hum of air conditioning and someone snoring. There's the thump of feet hitting the floor and Zayn pulls back Liam's curtain just enough to poke his head in.

"C'mon mate, I'll make us some tea." Liam nods and Zayn disappears to the kitchenette.

Liam gets himself up and stands at the entrance to the bunks, hand against the wall. The other lads are quiet, not stirring. Once he's convinced, Liam goes to take a seat at the table. Zayn joins him a minute later, sliding a cup across.

Liam doesn't break the silence, just stares down into the murky brown of his tea.

"How old were you?" Zayn asks. Liam doesn't look up to see if his mouth is moving; he bets £50 it isn't.

"Too young." Liam answers curtly. Zayn sighs.

"You all are."

"How-What-" Liam doesn't know where to start. Zayn is the first person who's been in his mind and Liam hasn't been able to push him out, the first who hadn't been confused by the surroundings.

"I got a friend," Zayn offers. "We used to live together, before X-Factor and all this." He gestures to the tour bus and takes a sip of his tea. The words continue in Liam's mind. "His nightmares looked a lot like yours, but more frequent. Guess it came from being together so much." Liam scratches the back of his neck, the skin itching as Zayn continues. "I got used to being dragged in, as much as you can."

"And you couldn't resist leaving your mark?" Liam teases. Zayn smiles.

"It made it a little easier for Ant, sometimes." Liam hums thoughtfully. He doesn't ever want to go back to the facility in his mind but knows it's probably inevitable. At least Zayn's graffiti will be something to look forward to.

"Anything else I can do?" Zayn asks, draining his tea.

"You already didn't freak out on me." Liam says. "That's a big first step." Zayn claps him on the back, a brief brush of graffiti walls and a doll before it's gone from Liam's mind.

"Get some sleep, Liam. You'll be okay. You got all of us."

There's more nightmares near the end of the tour; Liam's exhausted from the concerts and lights and fulfilling his dream, as great as it is. He wants to be home and hug his parents and sisters especially since the North American leg got extended. He spots Zayn's graffiti now, popping up in different places. Slowly, Liam realizes Zayn has been adding to it - not getting caught by the men in white coats but leaving his own message to Liam in bright colors. It makes him smile until the pain is too much.

The tour concludes and there are two months to record "Take Me Home" and take a break before another tour. Liam finds himself looking forward to being back on the road once a few weeks have passed and the novelty of fresh laundry has almost worn off.

It starts off with a nightmare - in real life.

The band has just finished the second evening show at the O2 Arena, and everyone is milling about between backstage and the bus that's set to drive them up to Glasgow. Liam heads outside for some fresh air once it's clear some people have popped open drinks to start the party. He hears voices near the bus and wanders over. It sounds like Louis, but Liam hasn't heard him like this except some half-remembered days in America when Louis wasn't sleeping and downed Yorkshire tea like it was the only thing keeping him upright.

"You wouldn't dare," Louis says, a note of something in his voice making it higher pitched. "We're famous now, people will notice. My family, friends, the fans-" his voice cracks and Liam edges closer.

"I very much would, Mr. Tomlinson. You are one of the strongest subjects we made and we're not done with you." A woman answers as Liam peeks around the edge of the bus. Louis is backed against the door, looking defiant and a little scared. There's a woman in a business suit in front of him, a small purse over her shoulder. She smiles and Liam shudders instinctively.

Louis's gaze darts around. His mouth lifts up in the smallest grin at whatever he sees, and Liam knows it's not him even though they made eye contact. All there is around them is gravel and grass and the bus, no reason Liam can think of to be smiling.

"Don't make this difficult," the woman says and reaches into her purse. Liam can't take it anymore and steps out.

"Hey!" he calls out. "Leave him alone!" Louis and the woman both turn to him. The woman's face goes from surprise to pleasure and Louis drops his head into his hands.

"Mr. Payne," the woman smiles again as he steps forward. "What a welcome sight."

"Get out of here, Liam." Louis says. Liam shakes his head and then suddenly he can't take another step forward. He growls in frustration. The woman laughs, delighted. Louis's hands are balled into fists at his side.

She pulls out a syringe from the small bag and Liam takes a step back. Louis has got nowhere to go, still up against the bus. As the needle nears him, Liam hears Louis's voice.

"Get Paul!" Liam blinks and he can move forward again. He runs toward Louis and the woman, dropping to his knees next to his fallen bandmate as he uses every ounce of mental energy to broadcast Paul's name in a scream.

The woman staggers back as Liam continues his wordless call. Louis smiles from the ground, his head pillowed on Liam's thigh.

Paul arrives quicker than Liam thought and in a few quick strides, has the woman against the side of the bus with his arms holding hers back. He spares a look toward Liam. "It's okay, Payne. You can stop now, I'm here." Liam cuts off his chant of _Paul Paul need Paul NOW_ and runs a hand through Louis's hair. His eyes are closed and it's then that the other members of One Direction arrive on the scene.

Harry skids to a stop next to Liam and Louis, Niall not far behind. Zayn follows Paul and the woman, a shadow in his leather jacket and quiff.

"He's gonna be okay," Harry reassures.

"It definitely wasn't poison," Niall adds and Harry reaches out to slap at his shoulder.

"No, just a drug for easier transport," Paul explains and reaches down to pick Louis's slack form up. "Someone open the bus door, why aren't you all on board already?"

Liam follows the others on, taking a seat at the table. Zayn and Niall crowd in on either side of him. Paul sets Louis in his bunk and then takes a seat across from Liam. Harry goes from checking in on Louis to sitting in a chair, then is up again to check.

"He's going to sleep it off, Styles." Paul tells him. "Stay seated."

"This is band business," Niall says stubbornly.

"Yeah," Paul agrees. "And I'm your goddamn security so I'm staying." He turns to Liam. "Your nose is bleeding, kid. Don't you have any control? That broadcast hit everyone still in the arena."

Liam shakes his head, miserable and feeling the beginnings of a headache forming. He wipes his nose with his sleeve, too tired to care. Zayn puts a cool hand on the back of his neck.

"I don't know what you mean," Liam says. Harry and Niall stare between the two like it's a match when Zayn breaks in.

"He really doesn't. Got no control, dragged us into nightmares more than once over the past year." Liam glares at his friend and Zayn shrugs apologetically. Paul closes his eyes and sighs heavily before opening them again and pinning Liam with a look.

"All right. First things first." The security guard counts off on his fingers. "Sleep for everyone here. Then I'll start teaching Liam the art of finesse and shield-building. We'll hit Glasgow sometime tomorrow evening and it's a practice rehearsal right when we arrive."

"Finesse and shield building?" Harry echoes when no one moves from the table. "He's not a knight. What is going on?"

Liam looks down at the table. Niall taps him on the shoulder to get his attention when it stays silent. He lifts his head to meet worried blue eyes.

"Uh," Liam starts. "I can sort of read minds? Not on purpose and I really try not to read you guys!" He spreads his hands helplessly as Harry and Niall shout in exclamation. Zayn bumps his arm.

"What!"  
"You've been in my head!"

They both turn to Zayn as Paul lets himself out the door. "You're not even surprised by this," Niall observes.

Zayn shrugs. "Liam's not the first telepathic I met." Liam smiles nervously at the label. Harry's eyes widen.

"Are you-" he begins and Zayn chuckles.

"Nope." That's all he says and it's final.

"So what's this got to do with Louis?" Harry presses. "It does, right?"

Before Zayn can open his mouth to answer, the drawing pad in front of him raises shakily in the air and then drops to the table with a thump.

"Of course it's got to do with me," Louis breaks in. "Everyone knows I'm the best." The words sounds confident enough, but the boy is leaning against the wall, face still pale. Harry stands up hurriedly and Louis stumbles forward into his arms. The other boys change their seating to curl around the two now on the floor.

"Should you be up?" Liam asks worriedly. Louis raises an eyebrow.

"Did you lift the sketch pad with your mind?" Niall questions in amazement. Louis flaps a hand lazily.

"Could do more, 'm just tired."

"You got drugged!" Liam reminds him. Harry frowns. "You should still be asleep."

"Nah," Louis brushes Liam off. "I'm stubborn, you know that. Don't want to miss a band chat."

"It was less a chat, more an explanation." Niall counters. "Like the fact that you and Liam are actually mutants. Dunno how you hid that for over two years."

Louis and Liam snort simultaneously. "Nothing so glamorous."

"So I can get powers too?" Niall asks with excitement.

"No!" Liam says immediately, Louis echoing him a moment later.

"It's not fun and games," Louis coughs. "Well, sometimes it is." He grins and then it falls away. "Except for the fact that I'm in a world-famous boyband and they still want me 'cause I'm the best subject-" he spits the word out.

"Just means they can't touch you." Zayn speaks. "And you got us all now behind you, for you and Liam."

Harry adds

"Nobody's taking you away from us." Everyone piles in for a hug with one another and it's warm and safe and Liam thinks everything might be okay in this moment.

The bus rumbles to life underneath them and the silence is broken with laughter and ruffled hair. Harry coaxes Louis back to bed as everyone follows. Tomorrow's a new day, another show with the people Liam can count on to accept him for who he is.

**EPILOGUE:**

They're in Australia now, Sydney and only Japan left to conquer on this tour. Then it's home again.

"Pass me the chips, would ya mate?" Niall asks the question to everyone in the lounge area.

"They're across the room," Zayn chuckles and doesn't make a move.

"No, Louis can," Niall makes a motion with his hand next to head and Louis narrows his eyes. Harry grins and they all laugh when the chip packet comes flying across to smack Niall in the face.

It's been almost a year since the O2 arena and the woman trying to take Louis and Liam by force. Paul stepped up security for the rest of their UK dates, citing fan presence to the executives. He and Louis met almost daily to teach Liam shielding and better mental control. It took longer than Liam thought it would to change his mind from his childhood home to something more fluid. Paul had explained that walls cracked under pressure, it was better to have something with give and take - Liam had imagined huge waves that went from lapping against a beach to being a tsunami.

He had far less headaches and nightmares nowadays with the new technique. The boys all had a different presence in his mind, like an escape route if things got too overwhelming. They'd all given permission for Liam to do that, once they'd found him nearly passed out after a fan signing that grew larger than expected.

Liam was still amazed to have learned that Louis was in a similar facility for almost a year. Louis had brushed it off as he did most things related to his power, but returned the breathless hug Liam had given him after the confession.

Liam isn't sure what will happen when they return to British soil. Maybe the scientists or whomever will still be looking for Louis and Liam and the others, but Liam knows with his band next to him he can face them like he couldn't do before.


End file.
